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AL NAJD AGRICULTURAL CITY, OMAN FOSTER + PARTNERS
Foster + Partners has unveiled detailed masterplan designs for the Al Najd Agricultural City in Dhofar, southern Oman. Working in collaboration with Dar Al-Handasah, the Oman-based international multi-disciplinary consultant, self-sustaining agricultural development will be built on fertile soil and respond to the region’s unique environmental conditions. The project for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, and the Ministry of Agriculture, aligns with the Oman Vision 2040. It advances food security and agricultural innovation, supports economic diversifi cation, and will become Oman’s fi rst zero-waste agricultural development.
The masterplan is inspired by historic developments in Oman, where agriculture has been an integral part of public life. The scheme, say the architects,
is “defi ned by a multi-scalar approach to planning with clusters of rectangular farms, ranging in size (from 10 to 200 ha), effi ciently radiating outwards from a compact urban core. Agricultural spaces are also embedded within public areas such as parks, boulevards, and courtyards, creating a distinctive urban identity.” The city centre features shaded pedestrian routes, integrated public transport connections, cultural and religious buildings, educational and healthcare facilities, as well as retail and leisure spaces, supporting a projected population of 13,000 residents and 6,500 new jobs. The development is “strategically connected to other regional hubs and farms to create resilient food systems and drive growth.” A team of agricultural consultants have carefully selected crops for the masterplan, focusing on regionally suitable varieties such as date palms, greenhouse-grown tomatoes, and industrial crops that produce raw materials. The project also supports exports and agro-processing opportunities, including the production of dried and frozen produce, oils, compost, and fertiliser. Integrated technologies include shade nets to fi lter sunlight and regulate temperature, agrivoltaics for crop protection and power generation, aquaponics to create closed-loop ecosystems, as well as advanced water and energy management systems. The diversifi ed water strategy includes groundwater, collecting runoff water from the mountains via dams, and desalinated seawater, with careful monitoring of irrigation and the selection of water-effi cient crops.
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ADF JULY/AUGUST 2026
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